Lily Evans and the Marauder's Secrets

Chapter 34: Imperfect Trust

We're so late.

It's all I can think as we push through the doors into the ballroom and some sixty odd people twist in their chairs to look at us. The cellist playing the background music stutters over her strings.

"On second thought, it was probably a bad idea to come in the door they were expecting the bride to come through," James says under his breath.

Except the bride is already here, standing at the front of the room and conversing with Mum in frantic whispers, and when she sees us standing in the doorway, her face contorts. I can almost feel her wrath all the way across the room.

Petunia thrusts her bouquet to one of her bridesmaids and strides down the aisle in the reverse direction she typically would, her veil askew, the train of her white gown billowing behind her.

"Oh Merlin," I whisper, shrinking under her laser-sharp gaze.

When she reaches us, her fingers wrap around my upper arm, digging into my skin. "Out. Now," she hisses. She glares at James. "You too."

She drags me, and James hurries after us back out the door. I hear Mum shout to the wedding guests. "Please relax for just a moment more! We will be right back!" Then she scurries out too, followed by a bemused Dad and a purple-faced Vernon.

Once the door slams shut, it's deathly quiet in the entrance hall.

"How dare you," Petunia says, her voice quivering with rage.

"Petunia, dear," Mum starts, but for once, Petunia ignores her, focused on me and me alone.

"You begged to be here. You promised not to make a scene. You said HE wouldn't be here!" She points to James without looking at him. He says nothing, just takes a step closer to me. His shoulder presses reassuringly against mine.

"Petunia, I can explain," I start.

"And look at you!" she shouts, not letting me talk. "Not only are you inexcusably late and ruining my big day, but you have the gall to show up like... like this!" She waves a hand, encapsulating the absolute disaster James and I look. At least I'd managed to recover my shoes before we'd come inside. "You're a mess!"

"Well, I didn't mean for this to happen," I say, starting to get annoyed. "I mean, we did almost die to be here."

"Die?" Mum and Dad both echo in alarm.

Petunia scoffs. "Don't be dramatic, Lily."

"No, really!" I say. "I just went for a walk before the ceremony and a bunch of... of Dark wizards showed up and attacked me –"

"This!" Petunia shrieks, cutting me off again. "This is exactly why I didn't want you here! I just knew you'd have to drag magic into it and make it all about you! You always have to ruin everything, you and your world! It's not normal, Lily, and I don't want any part of it!"

"You have no idea what she just went through," James says, his voice quiet but fierce. "What she did for you."

"You keep your mouth shut," Vernon growls. "The last thing I need is for some magician to further mess up our day."

James glares at him but, to my surprise, doesn't respond. I slide my hand into his and give his fingers a grateful squeeze. His hand tightens around mine.

"The way I see it," Vernon continues, looking satisfied James keeps quiet, "is if you've attracted other... others of your lot here, you're a safety risk."

I open my mouth to argue, but falter. I don't have a response to that. I hate it, but in a way, he's right. I don't know why, but it seemed the only reason the Death Eaters were here tonight was me.